Wet carpet can be a breeding ground for mold and mildew. Exposure to mold and mildew is a potential health hazard, particularly for people who are allergic or otherwise sensitive to them. It is important to clean and dry wet carpet as thoroughly and as quickly as possible to reduce the risk of exposure to mold and mildew.

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Steps

1

Roll up the carpet if it is not glued to the floor. Be careful to protect yourself from being stuck by carpet staples and tacks. Take the carpet outside and lay it flat on a dry, paved area such as a patio or driveway, preferably in full sunlight. A sloping driveway that would help pull water away from the carpet would be best.

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2

Clean the floors thoroughly using a detergent or cleanser appropriate for the type of flooring you have before beginning to clean the carpet. Quickly removing any residue left on the floor from the water will minimize the growth of mildew and unpleasant odors remaining in the house.

3

Spray the carpet using a garden hose with a strong spray nozzle. Use a sweeping motion, starting at one end, working from side to side. Turn the carpet over and hose the back side in the same manner. Turn the carpet over again so that the right side is facing up and spray it once more.

4

Pour liquid ammonia or a pine-based cleaner on the carpet. Leave it to soak for a few minutes, then rinse thoroughly.

5

Use bleach, if needed, to reduce any obvious stains remaining on the carpet and to make sure that all microbes have been killed. While using bleach will typically lessen or remove any remaining stains, it will probably change the color of the carpet.

Dribble the bleach mixture on wet carpet. Use a plastic brush to rub it into the carpet. After about 5 minutes, rinse the carpet thoroughly with a garden hose to remove all bleach residue.

6

Dry the carpet using a wet-and-dry vacuum that will pull water out of the carpet. If the carpet must be dried indoors, turn on the air conditioning and use dehumidifiers to help pull out the moisture.

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Tips

Carpet that has been covered by sewage-contaminated flood water for more than a few days may need to be thrown out. It will be hard to clean and difficult to prevent mildew and unpleasant odors.

Discard any wet carpet padding because it is made from sponge-like materials that are designed to hold moisture. Carpet padding is much less expensive to replace than carpet.

Read the labels of any cleaning products you plan to use on your carpet as they may fade or change the color of your carpet.

Don't let your carpet get wet in the first place. Avoid wet cleaning methods. More professional cleaners are offering dry carpet cleaning systems, which avoid the risk of mold and mildew.

Warnings

It is crucial to rinse away all cleaning product resident before applying bleach to remove stains in order to avoid toxic fumes that could be produced when ammonia and bleach are mixed.

It is reasonable to assume that carpet that has been exposed to flood water has been contaminated by a variety of infectious organisms. Be sure to wear rubber gloves and other protective gear, especially when working with carpet that may have been contaminated by sewage. Wash your hands thoroughly with lots of soap.

Wear rubber gloves and safety goggles when working with liquid chemicals to avoid injury to your skin and eyes.

Be careful to avoid puncturing or scratching your skin with carpet tacks or staples because skin wounds increase the risk of exposure to infectious diseases caused by organisms which are likely to already be present in the wet carpet.

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